What is Westford needles?

The West Ford Needles project was an experiment to allow long distance communications by bouncing radio waves off of a band small wires (passive dipoles) cut to a specific length. In an attempt to lay a radio-reflective ring around the world, small metal dipole needs were allowed to sublimate out of a matrix.

Did us launch Needles into space?

The first set of well over a hundred million needles was launched on October 21, 1961, but unfortunately this test failed when the needles didn’t disperse as planned. On a second attempt in May 9, 1963, a batch of 350 million needles was placed on the back of an Air Force satellite and sent into orbit.

Did Project West Ford work?

The project was eventually successful with the 9 May 1963 launch, with radio transmissions carried by the man-made ring. However, the technology was ultimately shelved, partially due to the development of the modern communications satellite and partially due to protests from other scientists.

What was the purpose of Project West Ford?

The Air Force and Department of Defense envisioned the West Ford ring as the largest radio antenna in human history. Its goal was to protect the nation’s long-range communications in the event of an attack from the increasingly belligerent Soviet Union.

What was the purpose of the West Ford needles project?

The West Ford Needles project was an experiment to allow long distance communications by bouncing radio waves off of a band small wires (passive dipoles) cut to a specific length. In an attempt to lay a radio-reflective ring around the world, small metal dipole needs were allowed to sublimate out of a matrix.

How big are the West Ford copper needles?

The West Ford copper needles were each 1.8 cm long and 0.0018 cm in diameter and weighed only 40 micrograms. They were designed to be exactly half of the wavelength of 8000 MHz microwaves.

When did Walter Morrow start the needles project?

Walter E. Morrow started Project Needles at the MIT Lincoln Laboratory in 1958. A first attempt was launched on 21 October 1961, during which the needles failed to disperse. The project was eventually successful with the 9 May 1963 launch, with radio transmissions carried by the man-made ring.

What was the purpose of Westford Massachusetts in the 1960s?

Throughout the 20th century (and with the invention of the automobile ), Westford progressively grew, continuing to serve as residential housing for the industries of Lowell, and later, Boston . In the 1960s, the town was home to one of the research sites supporting Project West Ford .